The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1887-01-26


of the celebrated heiau of Uni. The crater
bears n. n. w. from Mr.. G. w. c. Jones
house and is between eight and ten miles
distant; and northwest from the place the
lava found vent in 1868, about six miles
distant Three streams of lava crossed the
Government road two miles west of Mr..
Jones at daybreak on the 18th, and one of
which reached the sea, not far from Pun
hue, at IL 40 a. m. the same day The dis
lance from the crater to the sea is about
eighteen miles During the first twenty
four hours the crater Ga long fissure)
elected two scoria (aa) and the flow, as is
most always the case with IA, was rather
sluggish, moving perhaps at the rate of
mile and half per hour; but on the goth
the lava (pahOehoe) was more liquid and
flowed at the rate of twenty-five miles an
hour. This flow is far greater than that of
1868 and the nature of the lava is quite
different. The lava is more dense. IN the
flow of 1868 a vast amount of volcanic ash
was thrown out, covering the country for
miles; but in this flow there is none, nor is
there any Pele's Hair. | visited the flow
last Thursday, and must say it was the
most awfully grand sight l ever beheld.
At the crater there were fifteen fountains
OF molten lava, the highest of which we es-
timated to be abo.t two hundred feet. The
side of the mountain for width of two
miles was one vast sheet of liquid blood
red fire, while close in front of US was
rushing, roaring river of m often lava, bear
ing on its surface bOulders weighing tons.
Explosions of pent up gases were constant,
sending up columns of smoke, at times 500
feet in height. While we were there we
had hail, vivid lightning and very heavy
thunder. 1t looked, from our standpoint,
that hell itself was rapidly changing its
geographical position. Thursday, night at
8 o'clock we could read in our house at
HiIea fine print, so bright was the ref1ec
ton from the flow of lava Our Portu-
guese at the time were terribly frightened.
The women were crying and praying and
the men calling on the Saints for protec-
ton. They thought the lava was close at
hand so bright were the heavens. l took
Mrs. Spencer to interpret for me, and went
among them and quieted them. 1t was
very fortunate that the eruption took
place so soon after the earthquakes began,
lOI IlONl IL HGil OIA Il lew ia lOASSI We
should have experienced terrific earth
quakes and there would have been probably
great loss of life.
MONDAY, January oath, p IN.
The flow of lava has nearly stopped,
and we are having fearful shake-up.
Since 80 p. m. we have had frightful
series of earthquakes, and they still con-
tinue AS yet I do not know the amount
of damage that the shocks have caused,
but 1 know that the stone walls have Suf-
fered severely, and large amount of
crockery has been broken. The Hall leaves
ea5ly this morning, and L have not time to
rite you more fully. Truly yours,
G. n. SPENCER.
LETTER FROM Mr.. HUGH CENTER.
NAALEHU, January Odd.
Vm. G. Irwin, Esq.-Dear Sir: We
nave had rather a shaky time of it here.
but so far | am glad to say we have been
let off easy. For two days and two nights
the earth hardly stopped trembling, but
fortunately it was mostly light and did no
harm whatever. When the flow broke out
[ thought it was near the Waiohinu spring,
and that made me feel rather uncOmforta-
BILE. In company with Judge Martin we
rode up and found the lava rushing out of
d large crack in about twenty different
places with great force. The lava was
thrown up from sixty to seventy feet in
the air. l found that the crack was about
twelve miles above Mr. Jones' house, and
about fifteen miles in a direct line from the
Waiohinu spring. L apprehend no danger,
do NOT think have cd auJr
damage whatever.
January 9th, 2 p. m.
Last night about half-past II O'clock
while asleep, l was pitched violently ont
of my bed head first. as were also most of
the labOrerS The confusion that followed
battles description. The Portuguese went
nearly frantic with fright, and insisted on
burning lights: 1 went hurriedly through
the mill, but did not find anything wrong
with the machinery. There may be, upon
closer investigation.
HONUAPO, January 9th, a. IN.
The steamer Hall is just about to
leave. Several white ladies are passengers
by her, being afraid to stay on the island.
l notice that number of stone walls are
down. The fire appears to have stopped,
which is no doubt the cause of the return
of the shocks HUGH CENTER
So far the flow has not done any dam
age to cane land. 1t has traversed mostly
over barren land, and in nearly the same
direction as the great flow of 1868. The
Purser OF the w. q. Hall reports that the
air was very close throughout the trip.
When the steamer was at Kealakeakua
Bay the reflection from the flow was
seen and was something grand, entirely
beyond description
Since Sunday light smoky haze has
been noticed hanging over the hills
around Honolulu. 1t evidently comes
from the eruption. Professor Alexander
says the same thing was noticed at the
time OF the great flow of 1868. Mr..
Williams, the photographer, found that
it has hindered him somewhat in his
work OF printing pictures.
The passengers who left by the Kinau
will arrive at the Volcano House this
morning. On Friday afternoon on re-
turning they Will pass the scene of the